Pneumatic tire.



No. 875,053. PATENTED DEC. 31, 1907.

0'. E. DURYEA.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

A PPLIGATION FILED APE. 8.1907.

inventor CHARLES E. DURYEA, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

PNEUMATIC TIRE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31 1907.

Application filed April 8! 1907. Serial Bio. 366.982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. DURYEA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reading, in the cunnty of Berks and State of Pennsyivania, have invented certain new and useful lmpr-pvernenis in Pneumatic Tires; and i do hereby deck-1:. the following to be a full, clear, nd exac he on .4 the invention, such as will enable ther skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to that class of pneumatic tires which are positively attached to the rim or fellv of the vehicle regardless of whether or not the tire is-inflated.

The ob ects of my invention are to provide a tire positively attached, quickly detachable, simple in construction, neat in appearance and possessing a number of other ad vantages as will be set forth in this specification.

I accomplish these objects by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a cross section of tire and felly showing the flat metal rim, the inflatable locking tubes and the construction and arrangements of the various parts; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a part of tire and felly show-- ing a suitable arrangement of tire valve and a locking tube valve; and Fig. 3 is a section of a metal ring on which the tire is molded in process of manufacture.

Similar letters refer to similar parts.

It is a well known fact that a pneumatic tire, if quite thick, rides hard because it lacks flexibility and receptiveness. To secure this flexibility and rece tiveness the tire should be thin that it may bend easily and fully and that many bendings may not damage it. It is quite evident that a thin structure will bend more times than a thick structure, so assuming sufficient strength the thinner the structure the better from this point of view. It is also evident that a large portion of the value of a pneumatic tire is its. ability to receive into itself more or less completely, the pebbles and inequalities of the road instead of lifting the wheel and load over each inuality as does a solid tire. Further the 'ci'ency of a tire is largely dependent upon its ability to expand after rolling over obstavcl'es with substantially the same amount of reaction that was expended in action inreceiving the obstacle. Pneumatic tires difier widely in this respect, and the easy running I live tire possesses a decided advantage over the stiff t re so sought To secure these good points 1 prefer a thin tire mechanically or ositively attached to the rim instead of a t ick tire constrictively held a *ain'st the rim as is the most common form. n the constrictive tire the fab- 'c is strained lengthwise and resists deflection from a true circle strongly or if forcibly deflected the fabric is strained because, being already taut lengthwise, further elongation is liable to do damage. In my tire, I prefer leaving the fabric loose lengthwise the tire and therefore free to yield to accommodate road ine ualities. Being thin, punctures are probab y more frequent but the construction is such that repairs are quickly made, so this slight disadvantage can well be accepted for the sake of the ad vantages gained. 1 construct the edges L-shaped beads a a of which the inner corners are shaped to correspond with the inner part of the metal rim b against which these corners abut as shown in Fig. 1. These EL-shaped edges are ordinarily stiffened by a filling of harder material in a well known manner. The metal rim 1) is preferably flat in cross section on its outer surface while its edges are shaped so as which stiffen it very materially as well as rovide the abutment for the tire edges or a. his construction ermits the metal rim 5 to be uite thin an therefore of light weight, but 0 sufficient strength, a thing much desired inauto and cycle service. The Wood felly 0, common in auto wheel construction is hollowed at its outer corners and provided along its sides with metal ring flanges d (I, screwed or bolted firmly in position against the folly c. These flanges dd and the hollows of the wood felly c, combine to form recesses suitable to receive the l. shaped edges (1 a, of the tire, with additional semicircular s aces into which the locking tubes e e fit. en in position these tubes are not cylindrical but are semi-circular, and upon inflation tend strongly to assume a circular shape but are prevented from doing so b their contact with the tire, with the reset that they force the L shaped edges a a firmly into the spaces 'rovided for them and prevent removal 0 these edges from the felly and rim, until the locking tubes '0 e this feature is also much of my tire with to form beads difliculty when the, tube a is deflated.

are deflated. These tubes e e are inflated separatel so onemay be deflated and one edge of t e tire removed without disturbing the other. The thickness of an edge a and the annular space between the ring flange d and the adjacent bead edge of the rim 1) are respectively such that the edge a may be-removed through the said space'without It is evident of course that when deflated the tube e contracts and is easily pushed into the semi-circular space formedby the flange and rim, and thus does not impede or interfere with the insertion or removal of the tire edge a. Further the stem of the tube 6 used for inflation purposes is set at such an angle through the felly c and is of such size and construction that it may be withdrawn through the annular space between the flange d and edge of rim 1), without difficulty par ticularly after the cap 9 is removed.

" shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The tubes e e are constructed of fabric so as to have ample strength to resist bursting at the slight unsupported space between the outer edge of the flange (1 and the tire as They are lined or fitted with an air retaining rubber just 'as is a single tube tire and are preferably coated with sufficient rubber exteriorly to render them water and dust proof. When inflated they fit tightly both against the tire and flange and thus prevent entrance of water, mud or other detrimental substances and present a clean, neat arrangement.

The rim bis shown in Fig. 1 with a screw thread rovided in a depressed ortion at the center or the reception of a me a1 valve tube h, provided with cap; i and an interior valve (not shown) of any usual or preferred construction. The depression not only produces round corners of the rim where the valve tube enters but throws the metal into air without the use of the removable inner tube, for when'the' locking tubes 6 e are in flated, this rubber lining shown at 7' Fig. 1. is forced against the metal I) with ample pressure to render the jointair tight, and thus make an air retaining space, bounded by the tire and rim b. The advantage ofthis construction is that a puncturing point as a tack protruding throug the tread of the tire, on

- sufficient depression tostrike the rim, cannot puncture the inner side of the air tube, as is common with present constructions, but

strikes the metal rim where it can do no damage. If therefore, the tire is wrundeflated more or less distance before discovery, no damage is likely to result. Also if the tire is run deflated the flat rim 1) offers a large bearing surface for the tread of the tire, and thus carries the load without damage to. either the tread or the rim, whereas with usual con structions the load of necessity is supported by the edges of. a metal rim, frequently so sharp as to cut or pinch that ortion of the tread coming against them an thus destroying the tire in a short distance, often before its extension where compressed by theload, which compression and extension causes progression as the wheel revolves.

y This creep- 2 .ing either cuts off. the valve stem of the air tube or else doubles the air tube in an irregular lump, where restricted from creeping, with damage both to air tube and tire.

further well known that since the 'circumference of the tire is greater than the circumference of the rim 6, usage deflated does not depress the'circumferential portion of the tire radially, but tends to force the tire circumference against therim b at some point coming in contact with the ground later than a radial point. This tends to produce creep ing of the tire on its rim with the result that if the tire is fastened at several points and.

loose between, it will kink and be broken where'fastened. My fastening is absolutely positive all around, so kinking and breaking is prevented. To provide however, for the circumferential portion of the tire, returning to its proper position after depression dueto carrying the load, I preferably lubricate the inner surface of the .tire andrim against which it bears, by providing some lubricant, preferably water, in the tire when inflated. dry lubricant such as ,owdered mica or graphite may be used wit equally good success. These lubricants not only make the rubber of the inner surface of the tread portion slide easily on-the metal and without damage, but they serve to retard the escape of the air in case of a small pucture such as is produced by a common pin or thethorn of cactus or Osage prange.

In case of puncture, a locking tube is deflated, and one side of the tire removed for a greater or less distance. The puncturing point, if present, is removed and a wire with small hook on the end is introducedithrough the puncture and out betwe n the edge .of the rim 1) and the removed por ion of the edge a. e

To this wire a'common large rubber patch may be hooked by the string providedm the patch for this purpose, and, rubber cement solution having been-applied to the proper surface of the patch, it may be drawn into the puncture from the inside by withdrawing the wiref This leaves the large head of the patch on. the-inside with full assurance that 85- Itisthe cement is and smote where wanted and knowledge that the size of the'head of the patch is such that it cannot be blown out through theri uncture by the pressure of air .in the tire.

he tire ed e may immediately be replaced tube e inflated followed by the tire through its tube h.v easily inflated provided with pumps, this double inflation and the 100 in the inflation o The locking tube being small is air of the tire as described, saves the cost bother of carrying additional tires as is so common with their liability to damage by being carried and danger of being lost or' I stolen.

v the common manner As a precautlon against tire damage so disastrous that it cannot be repaired lnthe ordinary manner, an inner tube may be carried and inserted as before described by removing one edge a from the rim and unscrewing the valve tube h, into the hole of which the valve tube of the inner'tube may bei'nserted and the tire treated as to repair, by wrapping exteriorly with tire tape or other material, as is frequently done with tires of common construction. a

In Fig. 3, I have shown the metal ring on" which the tire is preferably constructed. This ring is so shaped that the tire is held firmly against it when wrapped with cloth in known to tire makers and after vulcanizing,

base in the central plane of the metal ring so as to permit removal from the rin A I by separating the edges a a from each ot er. he

.use of a ring aving a greater circumference than the outer circumference .of the tire causes the rubber of the tread to be eom-' pressed both longitudinally and transversely b inflation,- thus rendering-it exceedin ly diflicult to puncture as is well known. his construction also leaves the fabric very loose in a circumferential direction and retains the air almost solely by the crosswise strength of the fabric, which secures the great receptivityand long life before mentioned. course this method of construction and fastening is applicable to tires without the interior rubber air retaining lining 7' as in the present. day constructions.

I claim, 1. A pneumatic tire having thickened edges, in combination with a rim grooved along its sides and .providedwith inflatable .firmly force having thickened it is split along the tire within the grooves.

2. In combination with a pneumatic tire, having-thickened edges a metal rim 0 lindrical on the outside, grooves alo each side of the wheel felly and inflatable tu es within the groove, said tubes being adapted to the thickened edges of the tire against the inner circumference of the metal 3. In combination with a neumatic tire] having thickened edges, i atable locking tubes and a wheel felly' grooved along its sides and provided with .a metal rim and side flanges, so shaped and placed as to form grooves of a cross sectionlarger than the o ening between a flange and rim and adapted to receive the thickened edges of the tire.

4. In combination with a pneumatic tire having thickened e es and a metal rim, lindrical outside and turned heads, a 'woo en felly grooved along its outer edges and provided with flan es .along its sides, and inflatable tubes held y said flanges.

5. In combination with a neumatic tire edges, in atable locking tubes and a grooved felly adapted to receive said edges and tubes and rovided with valve holes for the inflation o? the locking tubes and for the inflation of the tire.

6. In combination with a wooden" felly provided with side flanges and a metal rim combining to form grooves alon thereof, a pneumatic tire having e ges ada ted to be locked in said grooves and inflata 1e tubes locking said tire in said grooves, said tire being constructed of larger circumference than it is after inflation, so as to be free from longitudinal strain when inflated.

7. In combination with a metal rim and a pneumatic tire arranged to form an air tight engagement with the edges of said rim, inflatable tubes adapted to firmly lock the edges of said tire against said metal rim a valve tube for inflation pu oses engaged with said rim and adapted to e remove admit the valve'tube' ofan inner separate air tube.

. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

- in vpresence of two witnesses.

. CRLES E. DURYEA.

Witnesses:

- Lrzzrn E. KLorr,

S E E. Comma.

cyrovidedwith inward y Y I tubes adapted to firmly lock the edges of the i 

